{"id":190467,"date":"2025-12-10T13:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T11:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tehnopol.ee\/?p=190467"},"modified":"2025-12-10T13:31:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T11:31:57","slug":"nato-dianas-third-cohort-brings-a-strong-focus-on-maritime-and-autonomous-technologies-to-estonia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tehnopol.ee\/en\/nato-dianas-third-cohort-brings-a-strong-focus-on-maritime-and-autonomous-technologies-to-estonia\/","title":{"rendered":"NATO DIANA\u2019s third cohort brings a strong focus on maritime and autonomous technologies to Estonia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today, NATO DIANA announced the\u00a0companies selected for the third year of their accelerator\u00a0programme. The cohort will include\u00a0three\u00a0companies\u00a0from Estonia. The NATO DIANA\u00a0accelerator in Estonia is run by\u00a0Tehnopol\u00a0in cooperation with\u00a0Sparkup\u00a0Tartu Science Park.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In its third year,\u00a016 accelerator\u00a0sites\u00a0are\u00a0operating\u00a0across the Alliance, compared with 13 last year and five in the pilot year. A total of 3,680 technological solutions applied for the 2026 innovation accelerator, with 150 companies from 24 NATO member states selected. Twelve of these companies will conduct their development work in Estonia.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All companies admitted to the accelerators across the Alliance are developing high-potential dual-use technologies with applications in both everyday civilian life and the defence domain. This year\u2019s selected companies offer solutions in ten fields:\u00a0energy and power, advanced communication technologies, contested electromagnetic environments, human resilience and biotechnologies, critical infrastructure and\u00a0logistics, operations in extreme environments, maritime operations, resilient\u00a0space\u00a0operations, autonomy and\u00a0unmanned\u00a0systems, and data\u00a0assisted\u00a0decision\u00a0making. The challenges for tackling critical defence and security problems were defined jointly by all Allied nations.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEstonia\u2019s success in the NATO DIANA accelerator\u00a0demonstrates\u00a0the strength and forward-looking nature of our technology sector. Our size gives us the flexibility and collaborative mindset that create new opportunities for the growth of both the defence industry and the wider economy,\u201d said Estonia\u2019s Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry,\u00a0Erkki\u00a0Keldo<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All teams\u00a0participating\u00a0in the Estonian accelerator will receive \u20ac100,000 in contractual funding\u00a0from NATO DIANA, with the best able to secure up to an\u00a0additional\u00a0\u20ac300,000 in the second phase of the programme. They will also have access to more than 200 test centres, a programme connecting defence and business sectors, and a network of top mentors across the Alliance. DIANA builds a bridge between universities,\u00a0companies\u00a0and the public sector, supporting the development and deployment of innovative technologies that address both civilian and defence-sector challenges and guide us towards a more secure and sustainable future.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInnovation and rapid capability development are critical in the defence domain. It is a great honour and privilege for Estonia to contribute to the innovation accelerator by providing a fertile environment for developing and testing advanced technologies. The steps we take today will play an invaluable role in NATO\u2019s defence tomorrow,\u201d said Estonia\u2019s Minister of Defence,\u00a0Hanno\u00a0Pevkur<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NATO DIANA accelerator in Estonia is led by\u00a0Tehnopol,\u00a0the largest science and business park in the Baltics,\u00a0whose strengths lie in deep\u00a0expertise\u00a0in the startup sector and long-standing experience in supporting the growth of technology-driven companies.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to\u00a0Anne-Liisa Elbrecht<\/strong>, Head of the NATO DIANA Estonia Accelerator and\u00a0Tehnopol\u00a0Startup Incubator, supporting companies developing breakthrough technologies helps shape a safer tomorrow. \u201cOur ambition is to provide the companies joining the Estonian accelerator with maximum value and bring innovation into the defence and dual-use domain,\u201d Elbrecht said. She added that the decision to entrust the NATO DIANA Estonia accelerator with as many as 12 innovative ideas, including four from the maritime sector, reflects the strength of Estonia\u2019s position within the NATO DIANA network.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following companies will begin their work in the NATO DIANA Estonia Accelerator:\u00a0Blue Team Intelligence B.V., MAPS Messaging BV<\/strong>\u00a0(both Netherlands),\u00a0Datambit<\/strong>\u00a0(United Kingdom),\u00a0VIG-SEC DRONE S.L.<\/strong>\u00a0(Spain),\u00a0Aereus<\/strong>\u00a0(Germany),\u00a0CulturePulse<\/strong>\u00a0(Slovakia),\u00a0HIGHTEK SRL, EYE-TECH SRL<\/strong>\u00a0(both Italy),\u00a0Optisense\u00a0dba\u00a0SkyFi<\/strong>\u00a0(USA),\u00a0Datifex, Inc.<\/strong>\u00a0(Canada),\u00a0Quantum Quest<\/strong>\u00a0(Poland) and\u00a0Unplugged<\/strong>\u00a0(Norway).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three\u00a0Estonian companies are\u00a0participating\u00a0in this year\u2019s NATO DIANA accelerator\u00a0programme:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n